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S. Asher Gelman

S. Asher Gelman

Founder, Ouroboros Dance Company

Asher has an extensive history of LGBT activism both in the Jewish community and in the broader world. As a high school junior, Asher founded Rainbow Youth DC, a youth-run social group for GLBT youth in the Washington DC metropolitan area. At the time, RYDC was the area’s largest queer youth group. Asher also headed up Rainbow Connection, the Gay-Straight Alliance at Georgetown Day High School, and initiated several programs including a highly successful Day of Silence. At the same time, he served on the board of the Washington, DC, GLSEN chapter. While a student at Bard College, Asher was an active member of the National Union of Jewish LGBT Students and has served as a member of the NUJLS’ Board of Governors. Since 2003, Asher has been active in the Israeli GLBT rights movement. In 2006, Asher moved to Tel Aviv where he played a key role in organizing and building the new GLBT Community Center. He served in the Israeli Defense Forces from 2008-09, and received a Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from George Washington University in 2012. Asher currently works as the Artistic Director of The Stage, Tel Aviv’s premier English language performing arts organization.